I have a Blue Tick Coon Hound named Ruby Tuesday and she runs beside me on a leash that wraps around my waist. She has a Halti (head collar) because being a hound dog she pulls on the leash, so she’s had that Halti since day 1. But now we’re training for a 10K race and I’d like to get her something better for running long distances.
I noticed with the Halti that she jerks her head very slightly to the side while running (like it’s supposed to, instead of yanking on her neck), but I think that might become uncomfortable for her eventually. I was looking at those harnesses that clip the leash to the chest but it looks like those would put pressure on her breastbone - they’re great for huskies with all their fur for padding but Ruby has very short fur and zero body fat. She’s about 40 lbs and is small for a coon hound. My husband was recommended a head collar that has the leash attach to the back of the head, but they are only available in the U.K. so I would need to order it online and I would prefer to get one locally so I can try it on her and return it if need be.
Who here has had experience running with their dog, and what type of collar or harness worked best for you?
She could run all day if I let her, but running tethered to your mom is much different than running free through the park chasing squirrels.
Pretty sure this will provoke some backlash, but have you considered a prong collar? I know a lot of people don’t like them, but they are effective for a reason and are not cruel or inhumane if used correctly. You can put a cover over them so they are less obvious on a fine coated dog so you don’t have to deal with people’s reaction. There is also a lower profile collar available.
I would be concerned, like you, about pulling your dog’s head off to one side with the halti while she runs. I can see this translating to muscle and joint issues if she is forced to travel like this because she is using her body in an unbalanced way.
I don’t know if a husky style harness would be what you want. The ones I have are padded, so that wouldn’t be an issue, though they are meant to encourage a dog to lean into them.
I would look at the action of the no-pull style of harness and see if it interferes with the way your dog moves or puts pressure where it going to make her uncomfortable over the course of the run. May or may not be a viable alternative to the halti.
I agree with your concerns about the Halti. Running long distances / times with the head pulled to the side seems like a very bad idea. I don’t know about the harness; our dog wears one when we take her biking, but it’s a cheapie - she’s got lots of fur padding and she doesn’t pull on it.
However, this
is really your problem, not the type of restraint you’re using.
Train her to stop pulling so that she’ll run next to you on a loose leash and your problem is solved. Hounds are perfectly capable of learning this.
Another thought… if you like running and she likes pulling, have you considered canicross?
from wikipedia* “Cani-cross is the sport of cross-country running while hitched to a dog.”*
That’s too cool, I’ve never heard of that. We kept threatening to teach our (small, hyperactive) dog to pull a cart so that she could give the other (old, lazy) dog rides. 
But, if you notice, most of the dogs pictured in that article aren’t actually pulling.
That’s because, when you train a dog to pull, you train them to only pull when you tell them to.
I’ve tried a variety of collars, prong, electric, choke chain, and they all hurt my neck when Blackjack pulls on the leash.
Sounds like a job for - Easy Walk! We have these for our basenjis, rescues who were VERY ENTHUSIASTIC WALKERS. They were also very thoroughly conditioned to pull against regular collars, that pesky opposition reflex. So, we just avoid triggering that reflex by removing the conditioner (pressure on the neck/collar) and replaced it with pressure on the chest. Immediately, walkies became much more pleasant. And I did C25K with both 20lb basenjis.
Like your hound, they have short, fine coats, and this harness has caused a small amount of rubbing on their chests and shoulders. Not too bad, and probably could be mitigated with some fleece and a needle and thread.
The sizing can be a bit tricky, and some stores don’t carry the in-betweener sizes (my dogs are S/Ms).
Good luck! Happy running!